Creative Fun in Washington DC area Build-A-Bike

Kuoni Destination Management worked with BNY Mellon Performance and Risk Analytics to host a Leaders Institute ® Build-A-Bike ® event at the Gaylord National in Oxon Hill, Maryland. 65 participants built 12 bikes that were given to the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maryland. It was a fun afternoon and each person had a great time of laughter with a purpose. BNY representatives came from across the country for three days of meetings, the highlight being the Build-A-Bike ® event where they could relax, let their hair down and have fun, all with a philanthropic twist that gave everyone a great feeling.

Twelve teams built bikes but realized in the end that there was one team with one goal, not 12 groups competing with each other. The purpose was to build bikes for a well-deserving charity and well-deserving children. Along the way the groups got caught up in frustrations and competition, attitudes that had to be overcome to make the event successful. Often times in corporate setting different divisions, different locations, different subgroups within the organization will act if they are competition with each other, when in reality they are on the same team working for a common cause. When members within the same company compete with each other the whole company suffers. One aspect that BNY participants realized was that it can be very important to the overall goals and god of a company to be cheerleaders for each other. This means cheering on and encouraging the success of others on your team, on other teams, and especially for those to whom make no difference to yourself.

One of the particpants expressed that it is better to be a cheerleader for others than a joysucker. A great observation. Or as is often said, “It is nice to be important, but more important to be nice.”